Loose leaf binder



Oct. 3, 1933. G LQTTER 1,928,941

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 19, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 3, 1933. L-OTTER i,928,941

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 19, 1932 S SheetS-Sheet 2 gg; W

Oct. 3, 1933.

A. G. LOTTER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Sept. 19, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l5 &-

Patented Oct. 3, 1 933 .U-NITEDST'ATETS. PATENT OFFI LOOSE LEAF BINDER Adolph GJLotter, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor. to Stationers Loose Leaf Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application September 19, 1932' Serial No. 633,809

13 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in loose leaf binders of the type commonly used in connection with'visible record systems in which the leaves are so arranged in the binder that their lower and upper edges are stepped to permit dataon the upper portion of the leaves to be visible at all times.

In such systems, it is frequently necessary to 1 the. leaves and therefore, this invention contem plates as an object the provision of an improved binder for use with visible record systems, which has increased flexibility as to its ability to shift one or more leaves in either direction to accommodate the removal or insertion of other leaves. Another object of this invention is to provide simplified means for efiecting sidewise shifting oi the movable units carrying theimpaling prong sections.- v More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide common means for locking the shiftable sections carrying the impaling prongs, against separation and for imparting the desired sidewise motion thereto.

And a further object of'this invention resides in the provisionof a novel latch carried by. the longitudinally shiftable locking bar of the binder for releasably securing the locking bar against its longitudinal shifting. 1

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds,'my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantiallyas hereinafter described and more particularly dey finedby the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in'the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, andinwhich: V V g Figure 1 is a top plan view of a binder embodying this invention with the covers and leaves in open position; t

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the binder back with the covers and leaves removed and with the pass through elongated transverse slots 16 formed impaling prongs separated and shifted to staggered position, and with portions thereof broken away and in section;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the prong-shifting mechanism forming part of the binder back, with the covers removed;

Figure 4 'is a longitudinal section view taken through Fig. 1, on the plane of the line 44; and

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through Fig. 1, on the plane of the line 55.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 indicates generally the back of a loose leaf binder constructed in accordance with this invention. Covers 6 and '7 are hingedly connected with the back.

The back 5 of the binder is a composite structure built up on a main supporting plate 8 whose opposite ends are. provided with inturned flanges 9 and lojoverlying the plate in spaced relation thereto. The side marginal edges of the supporting plate have hinge connections 11 for the attachment of the covers Band '7, as best illustrated; in Fig. 5.

Overlying the inner face of the supporting plate are two prong-carrying,.sidewise shiftable; plates 12 and 13. Both plates are of a thickness to be snugly confined between the intumed flanges 9 and and the supporting plate proper, and the plate 12 is of a' length substantially equal to the distance between the upstanding" portions of the flanges 9 and 10. The plate 13 is of less length to permit longitudinal shifting thereof, as w ll be later described.

Both plates 12' and 13'have substantiallysemicircular impaling prongs 14 fixed thereto. The prongs 14 have their inner ends securely anchored to their respective plates and have their outer ends provided for inter-engagement so as 95 to form complete binder rings whenthe plates 12 and Bare brought into abuttingrelation ship.

The prong-carrying plates 12jand 13. are guided for sidewise shitting toward and away'from each other by the engagement of studs in' the form of rivets carried by the plates and engaging in transverse slots formed in themain supporting plate. 7

' The plate 12 has studs riveted thereto to inthe main supporting plate. These slots are of a, length toaccommodate the-desired sidewise receivable in either one of a pair of adjacent no elongated slots 18 or 19. These slots 18 and 19 are located directly opposite the slots 16 and are of the same length as the slots 16 to'afiord the same degree of sidewise shifting to the plate 13 as is permitted the plate 12.

As hereinbefore noted, the plate 12 has only a sidewise shifting movement whereas the plate the plates 12 and 13 are shiftable toward andto the undersurface of the man supporting plate and is held assembled therewith'by the studs 15 and 1'7 which are carriedby the prong plates 12 and 13. These studs 15 and 17 extend beneath I the main supporting plate to project through cam slots 22 and 23 respectively in the shifting bar and have enlarged heads 24 of greater diameter than the width of the cam slotsto thus hold the shifter plate against'dsplacement' Inasmuch as the studs 15 and 17 are securely riveted to the plates 12 and 13, respectively, it follows that they serve to maintain the entire structure assembled. g

.The. shifter plate is firmly held against any but longitudinal motion by studs 25 which have one end riveted securely to themain supporting plate and have their other ends projected downwardly to extend through elongated longitudinal slots 26in the shifter plate to be riveted to an enclosing or finishing member 27. This mem-. ber 2'7 is provided merely as an enclosure for the mechanism and as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5, has its marginal edges flanged as at 28 to lie closely adjacent the covers 6 and 7' and provide a'neat appearance.

Both cam slots 22 and 23 have portions 30 parallel with each other and the longitudinal axis of the binder back to afford means for locking the prong-carrying plates against separation. From these straight portions the cam slots 22 and 23 have portions 31 diverging outwardly andaway from each other so that upon longitudinal shifting of the plate 21, sidewise motion will besimultaneously imparted to both plates 12 and 13 through the medium of studs 15 and 17. 7 ..It is observed that the studs 1'? of the plate 13, when in their positions aligned with the slots 19 at which the staggered relationship of the prongs exists, are located at the ju of the straightand inclined portions 30 and 31' of their respective camslots-23, and to accommodate the shifting ,of the plate 21 in this condition, the

cam slots 23 have a second 'straightportion 32 extending from their opposite ends in parallel relationship to their portions 30. Into these sec- 0nd straight portions 32, the studs 1'7 move when the shifter plate 21 is actuated to separate the prong-carrying plates when the plate 13 has been shifted to stagger the prongs.

Longitudinal shifting of the prong-carrying plate 13 can be effected only when the plates 12 and 13 havebeen separated, by reason of the fact that the studs 17 must be aligned with the longitudinal passage 20 connecting the slots 18 and 19 to permit such shifting. Longitudinal shifting of the plate 13 is further precluded by the engagement of a handle 33 fixed to the plate 13, in one or the other of two notches 34 formed in the inturned flange 10.

Yieldable means are also provided to restrain accidental shifting of the plate 13 from one position to the other. This means comprises a spring finger 35 riveted at one end to the upper face' 'of the plate 13 and carrying at its other end a detent 36 which projects downwardly through an opening in the plate 13 to engage in one or the other of two transverse slots 37 formed in the main supporting plate 8,

At the end of the shifter plate 21 adjacent the handle 33, a finger-engaging portion 38 projects upwardly. This finger-engaging portion carries a spring latch indicated generally by the numeral 39 and which is operative to lock the binder against accidental opening.

The spring latch 39 consists of a substantially right-angular member 40 hingedly connected as at 41 with the actuator'38 and yieldably urged by means of a tortion spring 42 mounted on the hinge, to a position engaging its latch 43 in an opening 44 formed in the inturned flange 10. The latch 43 is provided by one end of the rightangular member 40 and its other end projects up from the hinged connection 41 to lie alongside the actuator 38 so that disengagement of the latch is readily accomplished by the normal application of force to pull out the shifter plate.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will iio be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention aflords a mechanically simple and sturdy construction for visible record binders which is particularly characterized by the provision ofcommon means for locking the prong-carrying sections against separation and also effecting the desired sidewise shifting thereof while the prongs are aligned or in staggered relation.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a loose leaf binder adapted for use with visible record systems, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaged to form binder rings, means for mounting and guiding the series of iinpaling prongs for movement away from each other to permit removal or addition of record leaves, common means to secure the impaling prongs against movement away from eachother and for actuating their mounting and guiding means to separate the prongs, and means to shift one series of impaling prongs to stagger the prongs of the two series.

2.. In a loose leaf binder adapted for use with visible record. systems, two series of impaling prongs withtheir ends normally engaged to form binder rings, means to mount and guide the series of impaling prongs for movement away from each other to permit removal or addition of record leaves, said mounting and guiding means of one im m of impaling prongs toward and away each other a with thev longitudinally shiftable mounting and 'guidingmeansofsaid one series in' either 3; In a loose leaf binder adaptedto contain.

record leaves for visiblereco'rd systems, two series of impaling prongs with their" ends normally en:

gaging to form binding rings, mounting means for the impaling prongs movable toward and'awa'y from each other, one of said mounting means he} ing'longitudinallyshiftable toflenable the prongs carried thereby to be moved into staggered relation with respect to the prongs of the other series;

and longitudinally shiftable means operable to si-' multaneously move the mounting means of both series toward and, away from each other with the j prongs aligned or "in staggered relationship. 4. In a loose'leaf binderof the character, de scribed, a stationary mounting member, a pair of prong-carrying members, impaling prongs carried by saidmembers with their ends normally e aging to form'binding rings, said prong carrye ingflmembers being shiftable on s'aid mounting member toward and away from each other toenable the impalingprongs to be, separated, and one of prong-carrying members being shiftable longitudinally to stagger the prongs of the two members, a shifter member longitudinally slid able on the saidmounting member, and cooperating mean'sicarried by the prong-carrying mem bersand the shifter'member to simultaneously shift the members laterally toward 'and away from each other 'upon longitudinal movement of the shifter member.

5. In a loose leaf binder for visible record systems, a stationary main supporting plate, a pair of prong-carrying plates slidable transversely over the main supporting plate toward and away j from each other, a series of impaling prongs carried by each slidable plate and adapted to have their ends engaged to form binder rings when the plates are adjacent, one of said plates being longitudinally shiftable on the main supporting plate to enable itsseries of prongs to be staggered with respect to the prongs of the other series, studs carried by the prong-carrying plates and received in guideways formed in the main supporting plate to positively guide the movements of the prong-' carrying plates on the supporting plate, and an actuator longitudinally shiftable beneath the main supporting plate and engaging the studs to simultaneously shift the prong-carrying plates transversely toward and away from each other with the longitudinally shiftable prong-carrying plate in either position.

6, In a loose leaf binder for visible record systems, a flat supporting plate, a pair of prongcarrying plates slidable transversely over the flat supporting plate into and out of abutting relation,

a series of impaling prongs carried by each prongcarrying plate and adapted to have their ends engaged to form binder rings when the prong-carrying plates are in abutting relation, studs carried by the prong-carrying plates and received in slots in the supportingplate to guide the motion of the prong-carrying plates, the slot receiving the stud 'of one prong-carrying plate being arranged, to

other plate and to enable transverse motion of said second plate with its prongs in either staggeredor' -alignedposition with respect to the prongs of the said; first-mentioned'plate, and means underlying the supporting plate and shiftablelongitudinally to' move" the prong-carrying platesisimultaneou'slyinto" and out of abutting relation with said second-mentioned prong-carrying plate in either position of longitudinal adjust- 7-. a looseleaf binder for visible record systems, a am supporting plate,- a pair' of prongcarrying-plates mounted on said main supporting plate for movement into and out of abutting relation, ase'ries of prongs" carried by eachof said plates and adaptedrto have their'ends engaged to form-binder rings when the prong-carrying plates are inabutti'ng relation, a stud carried by each prong-carrying plate and received in a slot formedin the main supporting plate, the slot for the stud of one plate being shaped to limit the movement of its plate-to a transverse motion and the slot for the stud of the other plate being ar-' ranged to permitlongitudinal motion of its prongcar'r'ying plate to stagger the impaling prongs car-1 ried thereby with respect to the prongs of the other plate and also co-permit transverse motion of said second prong-carrying 'plate'in eitherof its positions'of longitudinal adjustment to enable the two pairs of impaling prongsto be brought into juxtapositionwh'en aligned or staggered, an actuator longitudinally movable beneath the main supporting plate, and cam means on'said actuator engaging the studs to simultaneously shift the prong-carrying plates into and out of abutting relation.

8. In a loose leaf binder, two series of impaling no prongs with their ends normally engaged to form binder rings, means for mounting and guiding the series of impaling prongs for movement away from each other to permit removal or addition of record leaves, a longitudinally shiftable actuator adapted to secure the impaling 'prongs against movement away from each other and for actuating the mounting and guiding means to separate the prongs, a handle for said actuator, and a spring latch carried by said actuator and having a releasing element overlying the handle, said spring latch engaging a stationary part to normally restrain movement of the actuator and being releasable bythe application of pressure to its releasing element overlying the handle, effected by the exertion of normal pressure onto the handle to shift the actuator. V V

9. In a binder for visible record systems, a flat supporting plate, a pair of flat prong-carrying plates overlying one face of the supporting plate and adapted for movement toward and away from each other, a series of impaling prongs carried by each prong-carrying plate and arranged to have their ends normally engaged to form binder rings, said series of impaling prongs being separable by movement of the prong-carryingplates away from each other, a longitudinally V said prong-carrying platesbeing longitudinally shiftable to enable its series of impaling prongs to be moved into staggered relation with respect to the prong's of the other series, and means to prevent such longitudinal shifting of said prongcarrying plate except when the prong-carrying plates have beenmoved by the; actuator totheir separated positions. v 3

9.10.1111 binderfor visible record systems, a flat supporting plate, a pairof flat prong-carry ing, plates. overlying one ;face of g the supporting plateland-xadapted for' movement toward and away from, each other, a series of impaling prongs carried by each prong-carrying plate and arranged to have their ends normallyengaged to form'binderlrings, said series of prongs bei 8. separable by movement ot the prong carrying plates away, from each other, a longitudinally-,sliiftable actuator underlying the fiat supporting plate, cooperating means carried by the prong-carrying plates and the actuator to simultaneously impartgmovement to both prongcarrying plates toward and away from each other upon longitudinal reciprocation of the actuator, one of saidprong-carrylng plates being longitudinally shiftable to "enable itsseries oi impaling prongs to bemoved into staggered relation with respect to the prongs of the other series, means to prevent such longitudinal shiftingof said prong: carrying plate except when-the prong-carrying plates have been moved by; the actuator to their separated positions and yieldable means to restrain longitudinal shifting of said prong-carrying plate at all'tirnes. v v

' 11. In a loose leaf binder, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaged to form binder rings,.means for mounting and guiding the. series 01! impaling prongs for movement away, from each other to permit removal or addition of record leaves, a longitudinally shittable actuator adapted to secure the impaling prongs against movement away from each other and to actuate the mounting and guiding means to separate. theprongs, and locking means to prevent actuation of said actuator.

V 12 In a looseleafbinder, two series of impaling prongs with their ends normally engaged to form binder rings, means for, mounting and guiding the series of impaling prongs for movement away from each other to permit removal or additional, record leaves, alongitudinally shiftable actuator adapted to secure the impaling,

prongs against movement away from each other and to actuatev the mounting and guiding means toseparate the prongs, and a spring latch carried by the actuator and engageable with a fixed part. to normally secure the actuator against accidental. actuation. V v v V I ADOLPH G. LQTTER. 

